Major blacktopping projects complete

Friday, September 7, 2007

CHARLESTON -- Major Mississippi County blacktopping projects are all done for this season.

County commissioners reviewed blacktopping completed so far during their regular meeting Thursday.

Of the $65,000 budgeted for asphalt materials, $51,000 has been spent, according to Presiding Commissioner Jim Blumenberg.

With blacktopping on major roads being finished, only short sections in subdivisions along with areas that need sealing oil and patching remain, commissioners agreed.

"We're going to do a lot of sealing once we get this blacktopping done," Blumenberg said.

Blumenberg said he is impressed with the portable asphalt heating unit built by the road and bridge department for patching, an idea they got from East Prairie and improved on. Commissioners agreed the unit will be especially useful in the winter months.

Traffic on various roads and how it affects blacktop was also discussed.

In other business Thursday:

* A meeting to discuss a county 911 equipment upgrade is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Oct. 9 in the jury room at the courthouse.

County Clerk Junior DeLay said invitations are being sent to the Sheriff's Department, Charleston, East Prairie, the Ambulance District, Bertrand, Wyatt and Anniston in addition to county commissioners.

Meeting with county officials will be Lana Penrod and other representatives of Plant Equipment Inc., a vendor of 911 equipment for AT&T.

"She's going to bring her sales engineer with her to discuss the options we'll have to consider," DeLay said.

DeLay said, for example, that technology is now available that could enable the county to have a single recorder that could be used by both of the 911 call centers at Charleston and East Prairie.

* A used poly pipe storage area near Dogwood is in operation but still doesn't have a fence around it as promised by the operator, according to commissioners.

"He's got a big pile out there," Blumenberg said.

Commissioner Martin Lucas said the area has been reduced to a five-acres.

Poly pipe is only stored there on a temporary basis before being taken to the Stoddard County Sheltered Workshop, according to commissioners.

* Commissioner Homer Oliver said there hasn't been much progress on efforts to improve water flow in Ditch 23 over the last week.

Oliver said another three days of work by the contractor should bring noticeable results, however.

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